In the field of training retrievers and other hunting dogs for competition and hunting, a great amount of time is taken up by dog owners preparing their dogs to perform at peak efficiency. It is the usual practice for a dog owner to hire one or more field assistants to help in the training regime. Field assistants stand remote from the dog and trainer and throw or launch retrieving dummies or birds into the air. A gun shot sound is made and the dog is sent out to retrieve the bird or dummy. The assistants are sometimes required to provide either a verbal or a visual aid to help the dog locate the bird or retrieving dummy and carry out the retrieval task. They may also have to protect stored birds or retrieving dummies from being chewed or retrieved by younger inexperienced dogs. The hiring of field assistants can be a very costly endeavour for the dog trainer.
In prior attempts to provide alternatives to the hiring of assistants, devices have been developed that are either ineffective in replacing all of the characteristics noted above or are so difficult and time consuming to transport and set up that they do not provide any savings in time or expense.
Presently there are devices which launch retrieving dummies remotely, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,529 to White et al. which discloses a remote controlled retrieving dummy launching device that uses a power handle mechanism to launch cylindrical retrieving dummies from a tripod mounted housing. The device described by White launches a single retrieving dummy in one direction and is triggered remotely by radio signals. Even though White does provide for the sequential firing of several launchers connected together, White does not permit the selective firing of launchers placed at different locations. Further, the launchers described by White are heavy, making it difficult for a single operator to carry multiple launchers into the field without assistance. In addition, no provisions are made by White for launching both birds and retrieving dummies, there is no audible or visual aid to assist the dog in performing the retrieval task and no method is described for protecting retrieving dummies from inappropriate access by the inexperienced dog.
In order to replace the need for hiring multiple human field assistants an apparatus and method for training retrieving dogs must duplicate all activities performed by these assistants and do so at less cost to the dog trainer. Therefore, it would be desirable that the device: 1) be able to launch both birds and retrieving dummies remotely and accurately; 2) provide a signal sound if required in order to render assistance to young dogs learning to locate the position of the launch; 3) provide a gun shot on launch to attract the attention of the dog; 4) be adjustable so that launch height, angle, distance and direction may be varied and provide bi-directional launches from a single station; 5) have the capability of launching multiple retrieving dummies or birds from one or from multiple locations; 6) be designed to prevent an untrained dog from removing or chewing the unlaunched birds or retrieving dummies; 7) be low in profile to limit the possibility that the dog will see the device in the field; 8) be compact and light weight so that one person be able to carry at least three multiple launch devices having at least four possible launches per station, therefore enabling the training of multiple dogs in different geographic locations or permitting repeat launches from the same location while training a single dog; 9) have the capability to simulate an assistant who moves out of sight after throwing a bird or retrieving dummy; 10) provide launchers and a remote controlled transmitter with multiple, selectable transmission codes to permit multiple trainers to operate in the same geographic area without interfering with one another; 11) provide the capability of launching retrieving dummies or birds from up to four different locations and permit up to six multiple launch devices to be connected in series at each location to allow up to 24 retrieving dummies or birds to be launched from each location; 12) incorporate numerous safety features such as, a launch signal which requires the matching of multiple control codes and firing sequences, safety logic and control so that frequencies such as those produced by dog training collars, garage openers, model airplanes, etc. will not trigger a launch, the ability for users to check control codes and change them if required, and a safety kill switch on both the launch devices and the remote control unit.